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“It wasn’t peaceful....for his last 2 hours of life he was gasping for breath and gargling-fighting to live to the very end. I, personally have never witnessed any thing as horrendous in my whole life. After everything that he has been through this was the worst to me....why the suffering? Why not just passing peacefully in his sleep? I will never understand the pure cruelty of it all.”

After his diagnosis in October 2015, Josh underwent a life-or-death operation to remove the tumour.

Nicola and husband Kev were told the odds of him making it through surgery were just 50 / 50.

He pulled through, but the subsequent gruelling course of chemotherapy made him seriously ill and doctors said it could no longer continue.

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In September 2016, Josh’s family were told their young son had just months or weeks to live.

Nicola continued to share their unimaginable ordeal through the Facebook page as Josh’s condition deteriorated, describing his bravery and kindness through his suffering.

She went on to write: “No one will truly understand the kindness and purity that secreted from every single pore in Joshua’s tiny body or the torture and suffering he endured both physically and mentally in his final year on this earth.

“The love Joshua felt for all his family, his friends and his pets and the thoughtfulness and selfless acts he’d show to anyone and everyone he met were out of this world. A world so cruel and evil that he was far too good to breath its bitter air yet he clung on for so long as he just didn’t want to leave.”

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Nicola added: “The chapter of our lives with you in it was the most perfect, most beautiful and most privileged of all.

“To say we will miss you would be an understatement. There are no real words for the emotions we feel but I already feel an overwhelming feeling of fear and heartache for an eternal future without you.”

Tributes have flooded in for Josh, who was made an honorary member of Rochdale AFC in November, in recognition of his bravery.

Lisa Topham posted: “He was one of the bravest little boys and touched hundreds of people’s hearts. Sleep well little man you’re one in a million.”

Vicki Mitchell posted: “No words to say other than my thoughts and prayers are with you and Kevin. Rest in paradise you beautiful boy you have touched the hearts of many.”

Cathy Lyth said: “Words fail me when an innocent soul can have to endure so much suffering. Sleep tight brave soldier. Fly high with the angels.”

Michelle McCaffrey posted: “RIP superhero. No more pain or suffering. You will be missed by so many.”